NAIVASHA, KENYA: Police on Sunday blocked protesting farmers from entering a vegetable processing company that has been rocked by management rows.
The problems have arisen amid claims of political interference and shortage of produce.
The more than 300 shareholders of Midland Company arrived at the premises near Njabini town early in the morning but were denied entry by anti-riot police.
Undeterred, the shareholders erected a temporary tent from where they held an annual general meeting during which they elected transition board members.
Earlier, the company managers had announced the meeting cancelled through a paid-for advertisement.
But the shareholders went ahead to convene the meeting, which went on without a hitch as police watched the proceedings from a distance.
Former Nyandarua deputy governor Waithaka Mwangi hit out at the police and some county officials for locking the farmers out of the company premises.
“It’s regrettable that the shareholders are being barred from accessing a facility they own. It is the height of impunity and is unacceptable,” he said.
Mr Mwangi said the company was fully owned by local farmers who had invested millions of shillings in the facility but were yet to get any returns.
He faulted the county leadership for failing to end the crisis, which is threatening to derail activities at the Sh1.2 billion company.
“The national government should also play an active role in ending the squabbles that have affected several farmers in the area,” he said.
Vested interests
County Assembly Speaker Ndegwa Wahome, who was among the shareholders attending Sunday’s meeting, blamed the company’s woes on vested business interests by a group of individuals.
The farmers appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to help them offset a debt of more than Sh100 million to enable them to reap benefits from their investment.
During the meeting, the shareholders directed the new management board to establish whether Sh150 million claimed to have been loaned to the company was reflected in the accounts.
